How to end the fundraising year on a high

The latter months of the year can be some of the most fruitful for charities when it comes to fundraising.  According to fundraising software providers Blackbaud, more than a third of charitable giving occurs in the last three months of the year, with popular fundraising days like Giving Tuesday combined with December’s season of good will meaning that donors are more likely to give to a cause they care about.   

To help charities refine their end-of-year fundraising strategy, Blackbaud has created a specialist toolkit, supporting organisations through planning and executing their plans from Giving Tuesday (2 December 2025) to New Year’s Eve. The Ultimate End-of-Year Fundraising Toolkit covers basic fundraising tips, from optimising your online donation form to defining your messaging, and provides checklists and practical advice to help charities hit the ground running.  

Below, we explore three lessons we’ve learned from the toolkit and how charities can use them to end the year on a fundraising high. 

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How charities can supercharge their end-of-year fundraising 

Clean your database 

An effective fundraising strategy cannot be implemented without accurate data that reflects those that charities are reaching out to. To make the donation experience as seamless as possible, charities must know what that means exactly for their different audiences – and audience behaviour can change significantly over time.  

To keep pace, charities must be sure that the data they are using to inform their strategy is up-to-date, accurate, and complete, giving them the full picture of their current fundraising landscape and shaping their future goals.  

“Clean data enables better segmentation, more relevant appeals, and stronger donor relationships,” says Blackbaud. “It also shows your donors that you’re paying attention. A correct name, updated address, or personalised message can be the difference between a one-time gift and a lifelong supporter.” 

Poorly maintained data can also cost charities money, making their fundraising efforts far less efficient. Blackbaud estimates that a “5% duplication rate in a 250,000-record database can waste nearly £10,000 annually in postage and email costs”.  

Review past campaign performance 

The starting point for revising a fundraising strategy is to know what works and what doesn’t. The benefit of the end-of-year period is that charities have more information to work with on who their supporters are and what motivates them – and whether, with their current strategy, they’re hitting those marks. 

Blackbaud advises taking time to reflect on last year’s campaign performance before setting goals for the end-of-year period: “Analysing revenue, expenses, ROI, and donor follow-through will help you identify what to improve, eliminate, or repeat for greater impact this year.” 

Reviewing what works and what doesn’t also applies to a charity’s donation page. As we approach December, charities are developing special campaigns and appeals that reflect the year’s activities and their plans for the coming year. This might mean language needs to be updated, to indicate the urgency of a charity’s mission or to link appeals to specific fundraising days like Giving Tuesday.  

Blackbaud recommends always restating the “why” for year-end campaigns “with persuasive language that connects back to your mission and uses elements that align with your brand”. 

Consider gift matching  

Research from the Blackbaud Institute found that 80% of revenue for donor-funded organisations comes from just 20% of donors. Blackbaud notes that, with “so much potential revenue concentrated among a small group”, charities must find innovative ways to engage with their highest potential givers and subsequently boost fundraising levels.  

Blackbaud highlights the appeal of transforming major gifts into a matching opportunity. Matching campaigns enable high value donors to multiply their donation while giving the same amount as they would usually. It forms the basis of a wider appeal, framed by a ratio or cap (e.g. “For every two pounds given, [high value donor] will match it”) that motivates other donors to give during a specific time when their gift will achieve the most impact.  

Matching campaigns may be especially appealing to corporate partners, particularly as the year draws to a close.  “Many companies are eager to support causes their employees care about – and year-end is a prime time to activate that support,” explains Blackbaud. “Offer them a chance to match employee gifts or sponsor a challenge campaign that highlights their brand and values. It’s a win-win for visibility and impact.” 

To find out more about planning your end-of-year fundraising strategy, download Blackbaud’s Ultimate End-of-Year Toolkit below. 

Download the toolkit